It’s the dog days of summer but we’re still getting letters about how cold some houses got last winter.
It’s not surprising. Cold air infiltration seems to be a problem that haunts a home year-round. Even the warm temperatures of summer don’t seem to wash away the thoughts of last winter’s chilly breezes.
The upside is that the warm weather is the perfect time to take on several projects that will help your home feel warmer this winter. In addition, these projects will also help you save a few dollars on next winter’s heating bills.
With the help of John Katrakis of J.T. Katrakis & Associates, an energy and environmental consulting and management firm in Barrington, we’ve assembled a list of four summertime tasks that will help stem cold infiltration come fall.
– While the weather’s warm, it’s a good time to inspect your storm windows for problems. Missing, broken or loose-fitting storms windows can be a huge source of cold air infiltration.
Start by lowering the storms to make sure they’re tight-fitting. “If the storm window rattles in its frame, remove it and check the weatherstripping that’s usually attached to the back side of the storm window,” says Katrakis. “It should resemble a small strip of felt.”
If the weatherstripping looks worn or is missing, have it replaced.
If the storm window still rattles in its frame, the frame may need to be tightened. That may require the services of a professional.
Cracked or broken storm windows usually can be repaired at the local hardware store, again a good project for summer. “In the warm weather, you won’t miss the storm windows while they’re being repaired,” says Katrakis. “Plus, the task of fixing a broken storm window will pay for itself in energy savings in a month or two.”
– Another good warm weather project is replacing or adding caulk around the perimeters of doors and windows. A good bead of caulk can really reduce air infiltration and lower your heating bills come winter.
Start by inspecting the edges of the window and door frames for existing caulk. “If the existing caulk is brittle, chip it away and start all over again,” says Katrakis. “If the caulk is pliable, it’s in good shape. In that case, look for gaps between the existing caulk and the building.”
When applying new caulk, clip the nozzle on the caulk tube at a 45-degree angle and leave a bead of caulk about 1/4 inch thick.
Apply caulk around the entire window, including the underside. Also caulk where the window trim meets the building and the inner side of the storm window where the aluminum frame meets the wood above the window sill.
– Another good summer project is the installation of door sweeps.
Much cold air can pass under an exterior or basement door on a winter day. Many people will throw a rug in front of that door to block it out. A better solution is a door sweep.
You may need to remove the door to install a sweep, which usually are held in place with a few screws. The new sweep may need to be trimmed to fit your door.
Don’t install the sweep so there’s too much friction when you open and close the door. You should be able to slip a piece of paper under the door.
– Late summer is also a good time to have your furnace or boiler tuned up by a professional, says Katrakis.
“It’s a time when most heating and cooling professionals have completed most of their work for the cooling season and haven’t gotten many calls about heating problems,” says Katrakis, “so a good many of them are sitting around and are anxious for the work. But come the first cold week of weather, when people start turning on their furnaces, it’s going to be a lot harder to find a professional who will take on the work.”
In addition to checking the furnace or boiler for safety and health precautions, a trained service person will do an efficiency test, adjust the furnace for the optimal gas and air mixture, clean off the burners, and check the electronic ignition if the unit has one.
Not only will such a tuneup help avoid any problems with the furnace or boiler this winter (when you least want the unit to go down), it also can save you a few dollars on your energy bill by maximizing heating efficiency.
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Got a question about home energy or home environmental issues? Write to Energy Q&A, Chicago Tribune, Your Place section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago, Ill. 60611. Or you can e-mail energy qa@aol.com. Questions will be answered only through the column.
